BBGISTEATION. 



181 



correctly — and to sell sheep -with a full understanding of 

 their particular qualities at periods of the year when those 

 qualities cannot be determined solely by the eye. The 

 careful breeder should invariably be on the shearing floor 

 with his Register in his hand, minutely scrutinizing each 

 sheep as its fleece is taken ofi", and noting down his observar 

 tions on the spot. It is most convenient to have a prescribed 

 form of record in which each particular can be stated by a 

 figure ; and it will, of course, include those particulars which 

 each person is most desirous of preserving. I have always 

 had my own include such facts as would give me a full 

 general idea of the sheep without going beyond the record. 

 I have changed the form several times, but that used for the 

 last three or four years has been a blank book with each page 

 ruled into columns, and headed as follows : 



Except in the columns for number, age, and weight of 

 fleece, the figures imply relative degree or quality : and 1 is 

 assumed as the maximum and 5 as the minimum of that 

 degree or quality. Thus the first of the above records being 

 translated reads thus : No. 1 is four years old, very large, of 

 middling form, has no lamb, has hitherto exhibited first rate 

 breeding qualities, yields 8^ lbs. of wool, the wool is of middling 

 quality, and of the longest staple, its thickness is better than 

 middling but not first rate, yolMness medium, covering on 

 belly excellent, the head badly covered, wrinkled in the 



